


A Dream of a Dream

by Ferafish



Series: Ashara Lavellan [4]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, F/M, What If dreams
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 04:10:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12999567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ferafish/pseuds/Ferafish
Summary: Clan Lavellan came to Skyhold. Or at least, Ashara wished they did.





	A Dream of a Dream

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the writing prompts at [r/dragonage](https://www.reddit.com/r/dragonage). Prompts [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/dragonage/comments/7jbdrx/spoilers_allshare_your_ocs_weekly_headcanon/), my response [here](https://goo.gl/C334ib).

It had been hours since the first glimpse of the bright silks had been spotted. By the time they reached the gates, Ashara was vibrating with excitement.

"Keeper," Ashara said, struggling to restrain her excitement.

"It's good to see you, lethallan. Now come here and greet us properly."

Ashara ran forward, pulling her Keeper into a strong hug. The scent of wood smoke and herbs that clung to her cloak was soothing.

"I see where we rank, da'len," said a woman from the group of elves.

"Mamae! Papae!" Ashara cried, rushing over to greet them. "I missed you so much."

"As we did you," her father said smoothing down her hair.

"How did everything go? Was the journey alright? Wait, you must be tired, I should let you get settled."

"We're fine," her mother chided with a laugh. "Your young man made sure we had everything we needed. And why didn't you tell us in any of your letters about him? Cullen is a good man, why did you hide him from us?"

_Because you had all died before I could._

Ashara shook her head to clear the strange thought. "Speaking of Cullen, where is he? I expected him front and center?"

The Keeper laughed. "He got roped into helping with the little ones. They're all still a little fascinated by the strange man with the funny ears."

Ashara couldn't help but smile at the thought. And with that thought came a gaggle of excited children.

"Lethallan!" shouted one of the young girls.

"Is this little Isera? You've gotten so big since I left."

"She could not stop talking about how great her cousin is. She's the Inquisitor, you know," a male voice said from beside her.

"Hello Cullen. I missed you."

"And I you, Ashara."

It was like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her head.

_Cullen never calls me Ashara. Not in public, at least. And he can't meet the clan because..._

_Because they're dead._

"It's a dream. This is just a dream," Ashara mumbled. She hid her face in Cullen's chest, hoping to hide from the truth a little longer.

"It doesn't have to be just a dream." Cullen's voice rumbled through his chest.

"What?" Ashara pulled away. Her brows furrowed as she looked up at Cullen.

"It doesn't have to be just a dream. We can stay. Your parents can meet my sisters. Our children can meet their grandparents. We can be happy."

Ashara shook her head. "I need to wake up eventually. I can't just stay in a dream forever." She looked towards her clan. Towards the children playing happily. Her heart broke at the thought that they'd never grow up.

Cullen gently turned her to face him again. "But we can. Just stay here, with me, with  _them_."

"I can't. The Inquisition, they need me."

"But we need you, my darling. Please, just stay."

"No, I won't!" Ashara yelled, pushing away from Cullen. In that moment, the illusion flickered, Cullen's blond hair melted into purple fire, a long tail flicked from side to side.

"Why do you deny yourself what you want, what you crave?" the demon asked, his voice still trying to echo Cullen's.

"It's not real," Ashara muttered, "I'm going to wake up."

"I can give you everything you want, why do you turn it away?"

"I said, I'm going to wake up!"

Ashara jumped, her wide open eyes only taking in darkness now. Her heart was beating wildly, but it was slowing.

"Are you alright?" came a voice from behind her.

She rolled over to see Cullen, his face becoming clearer in the faint moonlight. Now that she was awake, she noticed all the small differences between her dream and the reality in front of her. The soft lines of worry and stress on Cullen's face. The hint of weariness in his voice that never seemed to leave. The tiny but inescapable marks of living in a war.

"It was just a dream," she said. "Go back to sleep."

It was just a dream.

_But if only..._


End file.
